D774 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST July 25, 2012 

and Income Security, Government Accountability 

Office; LaTina Burse Greene, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security Administration; Kelly O’Donnell, Financial Engines, Boston, Massachusetts; and Sabrina L. Schaeffer, Independent Women’s Forum, and Joan 

Entmacher, National Women’s Law Center, both of 

h 

Washington, D.C. 

House of Representatives 

Chamber Action 

Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 23 public bills, H.R. 6182–6204; and 2 resolutions, H.J. 

Res. 116; and H. Res. 740 were introduced. 

 Pages H5290–92 

Additional Cosponsors: Pages H5292–93 

Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows: 

H. Res. 741, providing for further consideration 

of the bill (H.R. 4078) to provide that no agency 

may take any significant regulatory action until the 

unemployment rate is equal to or less than 6.0 percent (H. Rept. 112–623). Page H5290 

Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he 

appointed Representative Farenthold to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. Page H5203 

Recess: The House recessed at 10:45 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon. Page H5208 

Suspension—Failed: The House failed to agree to 

suspend the rules and pass the following measure: 

President Obama’s Proposed 2012–2017 Offshore 

Drilling Lease Sale Plan Act: H.R. 6168, to direct 

the Secretary of the Interior to implement the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program (2012–2017) in accordance with the 

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and other applicable law, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 164 yeas to 

261 nays, Roll No. 512. Pages H5212–17, H5224 

Congressional Replacement of President 

Obama’s Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting 

Offshore Drilling Plan: The House passed H.R. 

6082, to officially replace, within the 60-day Congressional review period under the Outer Continental 

Shelf Lands Act, President Obama’s Proposed Final 

Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program 

(2012–2017) with a congressional plan that will 

conduct additional oil and natural gas lease sales to 

promote offshore energy development, job creation, 

and increased domestic energy production to ensure 

a more secure energy future in the United States, by 

a recorded vote of 253 ayes to 170 noes, Roll No. 

511. Consideration of the measure began yesterday, 

July 24th. Pages H5217–24 

Rejected the Slaughter motion to recommit the 

bill to the Committee on Natural Resources with instructions to report the same back to the House 

forthwith with an amendment, by a yea-and-nay vote 

of 179 yeas to 240 nays, Roll No. 510. 

 Pages H5222–23 

Rejected: 

Holt amendment (No. 2 printed in part C of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that was debated on July 24th that 

sought to strike the provision that requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a single multi-sale 

environmental impact statement for all of the new 

areas opened for drilling by the underlying bill (by 

a recorded vote of 163 ayes to 253 noes, Roll No. 

504); Page H5218 

Markey amendment (No. 4 printed in part C of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that was debated on July 24th 

that sought to prohibit gas produced under new 

leases authorized by this legislation from being exported to foreign countries (by a recorded vote of 

158 ayes to 262 noes, Roll No. 505); Pages H5218–19 

Markey amendment (No. 5 printed in part C of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that was debated on July 24th 

that sought to create a statutory requirement that 

new leases offered pursuant to this act include drilling safety improvements in response to the BP 

Deepwater Horizon disaster (by a recorded vote of 

189 ayes to 232 noes, Roll No. 506); Pages H5219–20 

Holt amendment (No. 6 printed in part C of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that was debated on July 24th that 

sought to end free drilling in the Gulf of Mexico by 

requiring oil companies to pay in order to receive 

new leases on public lands (by a recorded vote of 

177 ayes to 247 noes, Roll No. 507); Page H5220 

Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 7 printed in part 

C of H. Rept. 112–616) that was debated on July 

24th that sought to require each drilling permit application to include an estimate of how much the 

price of gasoline will decrease as a result of any oil 

or gas found under the permit (by a recorded vote 

of 158 ayes to 266 noes, Roll No. 508); and 

 Pages H5220–21 

Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 8 printed in part 

C of H. Rept. 112–616) that was debated on July 


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24th that sought to require each drilling permit application to include an estimate of the impact on 

global change of the consumption of any oil or gas 

found under the permit (by a recorded vote of 150 

ayes to 275 noes, Roll No. 509). Page H5221 

H. Res. 738, the rule providing for consideration 

of the bills (H.R. 4078) and (H.R. 6082) was agreed 

to yesterday, July 24th. 

Suspension—Proceedings Resumed: The House 

agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following 

measure which was debated yesterday, July 24th: 

Federal Reserve Transparency Act: H.R. 459, 

amended, to require a full audit of the Board of 

Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the 

Federal reserve banks by the Comptroller General of 

the United States before the end of 2012, by a 2⁄3

yea-and-nay vote of 327 yeas to 98 nays, Roll No. 

513. Pages H5224–25 

Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ‘‘To require a full audit of the Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System and the Federal reserve banks 

by the Comptroller General of the United States, 

and for other purposes.’’. Page H5225 

Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act of 2012: The 

House began consideration of H.R. 4078, to provide 

that no agency may take any significant regulatory 

action until the unemployment rate is equal to or 

less than 6.0 percent. Further proceedings were postponed. Pages H5225–89 

Pursuant to the rule, an amendment in the nature 

of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 112–28, modified by the amendment 

printed in part A of H. Rept. 112–616, shall be 

considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole, in lieu of the amendments in 

the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committees on the Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform now printed in the bill. The bill, as 

amended, shall be considered as the original bill for 

the purpose of further amendment under the fiveminute rule. Pages H5243–44 

Agreed to: 

Schweikert amendment (No. 14 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that defines ‘‘annual cost to 

the economy’’ as being inclusive of business revenue, 

so that determination of the bill’s application shall 

be accurately applied; Page H5274 

Manzullo amendment (No. 22 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that requires each Federal 

agency to submit and obtain approval from the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 

(OSTP) guidelines for ensuring and maximizing the 

quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of scientific 

information relied upon by the agency; and 

 Pages H5283–84 

Lummis amendment (No. 23 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that adds a new title to the bill 

requiring the tracking and reporting of all payments 

issued pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act 

(EAJA). Would establish a publicly available, online 

searchable database to access information regarding 

EAJA payments and the parties involved in the adjudicatory action leading to an EAJA payment. 

 Pages H5284–86 

Rejected: 

Hastings (FL) amendment (No. 1 printed in part 

B of H. Rept. 112–616) that sought to provide an 

exception to the underlying legislation, permitting 

agencies to make regulatory actions intended to ensure safe drinking water (by a recorded vote of 188 

ayes to 231 noes, Roll No. 514); 

 Pages H5251–52, H5261–62 

Johnson (GA) amendment (No. 2 printed in part 

B of H. Rept. 112–616) that sought to exempt regulatory actions pertaining to privacy from Title I of 

the bill and exempt midnight rules pertaining to 

privacy from Title II of the bill. The amendment 

would also have exempted consent decrees and settlement agreements in an action to compel agency action pertaining to privacy from Title III of the bill 

(by a recorded vote of 159 ayes to 259 noes, Roll 

No. 515); Pages H5252–53, H5262 

Kucinich amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that sought to exempt from the 

provisions of the bill any significant regulatory action specifically aimed at limiting oil speculation (by 

a recorded vote of 173 ayes to 245 noes, Roll No. 

516); Pages H5253–59, H5262–63 

Welch amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that sought to provide an exception 

for regulations which are intended to promote energy efficiency (by a recorded vote of 174 ayes to 

242 noes, Roll No. 517); and Pages H5259–60, H5263 

Markey amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that sought to allow regulations 

protecting the public from extreme weather, including drought, flooding and catastrophic wildfire, to 

go forward despite the prohibitions in the underlying bill (by a recorded vote of 177 ayes to 240 

noes, Roll No. 518). Pages H5260–61, H5263–64 

Proceedings Postponed: 

Watt amendment (No. 6 printed in part B of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that seeks to exempt regulatory actions that are regulatory actions by the U.S. Patent 

and Trademark Office that streamline the application 

process for patents and trademarks, including rules 

implementing the micro entity provision of the 

Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, from Title I of 

the bill and exempts midnight rules implementing 


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such provisions from Title II of the bill. The amendment also would exempt consent decrees and settlement agreements in an action to compel agency action by the PTO to help streamline the application 

process for patents and trademarks from Title III of 

the bill; Page H5265 

Loebsack amendment (No. 7 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to allow actions that 

would lower prices for gasoline, diesel, oil, or other 

motor fuels; Pages H5265–67 

Richardson amendment (No. 8 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to ensure that the 

provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable 

Care Act and the health provisions of the Health 

Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 can 

be carried out; Pages H5267–68 

Richardson amendment (No. 9 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to allow regulations 

that protect consumers under the Fair Credit Reporting Act; Pages H5268–69 

Connolly amendment (No. 10 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to clarify the procedure for considering a request for a congressional 

waiver by the President; Pages H5269–70 

Posey amendment (No. 11 printed in part B of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that seeks to require that awarded 

attorney’s fees and costs for small businesses in Title 

I would be paid out of the administrative budget of 

the office in the agency that proposed the regulation; 

 Pages H5270–71 

Nadler amendment (No. 12 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to exempt issues relating to nuclear power plants from the obstacles to establishing safety protections in the following titles of 

H.R. 4078: Title I (Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act); 

Title III (Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act); Title V (Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development (RAPID) Act); 

 Pages H5271–73 

McKinley amendment (No. 13 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to reduce the term 

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ from $100,000,000 or 

more to $50,000,000 or more in annual cost to the 

economy. This amendment would allow for more 

oversight on Federal Agency Regulations by lowering the dollar amount threshold; Pages H5273–74 

George Miller (CA) amendment (No. 15 printed 

in part B of H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to exempt from the definition of significant regulatory action a rule that would prevent or reduce deaths or 

injuries caused by explosions and fires related to the 

ignition of combustible dusts in the workplace; 

 Pages H5275–76 

Woolsey amendment (No. 16 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to exempt from the 

definition of significant regulatory action a rule that 

would prevent or reduce the number of workers suffering electrocutions or other fatalities associated 

with working on high voltage transmission and distribution lines; Pages H5276–77 

Waters amendment (No. 18 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to authorize appropriations (1) to enable the SEC and CFTC to carry 

out the additional cost/benefit analysis requirements 

under the bill; (2) for costs of litigation incurred by 

the Commissions related to the requirements under 

the bill; Pages H5277–78 

Fitzpatrick amendment (No. 19 printed in part B 

of H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission to take into account 

the large burden of section 404b of Sarbanes-Oxley 

on companies with a public float less than $250 million, compared to the benefit; Pages H5278–80 

Posey amendment (No. 20 printed in part B of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that seeks to keep the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from enforcing 

or issuing interpretive guidance on climate change; 

 Pages H5280–82 

Maloney amendment (No. 21 printed in part B of 

H. Rept. 112–616) that seeks to mandate that Title 

VI cannot take effect until the Chair of the SEC certifies that in conducting the cost benefit analysis no 

resources will be diverted away from the SEC’s mission to protect investors, maintain efficient markets 

and promote access to capital; and Pages H5282–83 

Posey amendment (No. 25 printed in part B of H. 

Rept. 112–616) that seeks to make it clear that the 

definition of ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ would 

include new Treasury regulations regarding non-resident alien deposits. Pages H5286–89 

H. Res. 738, the rule providing for consideration 

of the bills (H.R. 4078) and (H.R. 6082) was agreed 

to yesterday, July 24th. 

Order of Business: Agreed by unanimous consent 

that it be in order at any time to consider H. Con. 

Res. 134 in the House; that the concurrent resolution be considered as read; and that the previous 

question be considered as ordered on the concurrent 

resolution and preamble to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except 30 minutes of debate equally divided 

and controlled by Representative Coffman and Representative Perlmutter or their respective designees. 

 Page H5264 

Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow, 

July 26th. Pages H5264, H5289 

Senate Message: Message received from the Senate 

by the Clerk and subsequently presented to the 

House today appears on page H5225. 


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Senate Referral: S. 2090 was held at the desk. 

 Page H5225 

Quorum Calls—Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes 

and 12 recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H5218, 

H5218–19, H5219–20, H5220, H5220–21, H5221, 

H5223, H5223–24, H5224, H5224–25, H5261, 

H5262, H5262–63, H5263, H5264. There were no 

quorum calls. 

Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 10:01 p.m. 

Committee Meetings 

SWAPS AND FUTURES MARKETS 

Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ‘‘Oversight of the Swaps and Futures 

Markets: Recent Events and Impending Regulatory 

Reforms’’. Testimony was heard from Gary Gensler, 

Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 

DOD AND VA COLLABORATION TO ASSIST 

SERVICE MEMBERS RETURNING TO 

CIVILIAN LIFE 

Committee on Armed Services: Committee on Armed 

Services and Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a 

joint hearing on Back from the Battlefield: DOD 

and VA Collaboration to Assist Service Members Returning to Civilian Life. Testimony was heard from 

Leon E. Panetta, Secretary of Defense, Department of 

Defense; and Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs. 

IMPROVING MILITARY CAPABILITIES FOR 

CYBER OPERATIONS 

Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on Digital Warriors: Improving Military Capabilities for 

Cyber Operations. Testimony was heard from Vice 

Admiral Michael S. Rogers, USN, Commander, U.S. 

Fleet Cyber Command and Commander, U.S. Tenth 

Fleet, U.S. Department of the Navy; Lieutenant 

General Rhett A. Hernandez, USA Commander, 

U.S. Army Cyber Command, U.S. Department of the 

Army; Lieutenant General Richard P. Mills, USMC, 

Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration, Commanding General, USMC Combat 

Development Command, U.S. Department of the 

Marine Corps; and Major General Suzanne M. 

Vautrinot, USAF, Commander, 24th Air Force and 

Commander, Air Force Network Operations, U.S. 

Department of the Air Force. 

EXAMINING PROPOSALS TO STRENGTHEN 

THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT 

Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing entitled ‘‘Examining Proposals 

to Strengthen the National Labor Relations Act’’. 

Testimony was heard from public witnesses. 

MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE 

Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on 

Energy and Power completed markup of the ‘‘No 

More Solyndras Act’’. The bill was forwarded, as 

amended. 

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL 

STABILITY OVERSIGHT COUNCIL 

Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held 

a hearing entitled ‘‘The Annual Report of the Financial Stability Oversight Council’’. Testimony was 

heard from Timothy Geithner, Secretary, Department of the Treasury. 

INVESTIGATING THE CHINESE THREAT, 

PART TWO: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES 

Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a 

hearing entitled ‘‘Investigating the Chinese Threat, 

Part Two: Human Rights Abuses, Torture and Disappearances’’. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. 

UNDERSTANDING THE HOMELAND 

THREAT LANDSCAPE 

Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held 

a hearing entitled ‘‘Understanding the Homeland 

Threat Landscape’’. Testimony was heard from Janet 

Napolitano, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security; and Matthew Olsen, Director, National 

Counterterrorism Center. 

BEYOND THE STREETS: AMERICA’S 

EVOLVING GANG THREAT 

Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, 

Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing 

entitled ‘‘Beyond the Streets: America’s Evolving 

Gang Threat’’. Testimony was heard from Robert F. 

Green, Assistant Commanding Officer, OperationsSouth Bureau, Los Angeles Police Department; Richard W. Stanek, Sheriff, Hennepin County, Minnesota; and public witnesses. 

CLOUD COMPUTING: AN OVERVIEW OF 

THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE ISSUES 

FACING AMERICAN INNOVATORS 

Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet held a 

hearing entitled ‘‘Cloud Computing: An Overview of 

the Technology and the Issues facing American 


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